It was our last day in Vietnam, and we were in Ho Chi Minh City, also popularly called Saigon.
We could clearly see architectural imprints of colonial rule, blended with relics of the city's commercial and oriental roots.
Our first visit was to the Reunification Palace, also known as the Independence Palace, the site of the former Norodom Palace, designed by the famous architect Ngô Viết Thụ.
Our Bus was allowed only up to a certain point, and all of us had to get down and walk towards the palace. Befitting its name, the palace looked resplendent in a setting of huge ancient trees and a beautiful lawn with water fountains merrily sprinkling water all around it. The Independence Palace symbolises Vietnam's victory, peace, and territorial integrity.
The Palace covers an area of 120,000 square meters and is adjacent to four major streets. It has hundreds of rooms equipped with luxurious furnishings and decorations, and gorgeous exterior space.
The palace is an ideal destination for visitors to escape the heat in Southern Vietnam, enjoy the fresh, cool air, and explore one of the most remarkable structures in Ho Chi Minh City.
Two South Vietnamese pilots, Nguyen Van Cu and Pham Phu Quoc had bombed the Independence Palace in 1962, as construction of the palace was started immediately, Diệm and his ruling family moved to Gia Long Palace, now a museum.
Unfortunately, Diem and his brother and chief adviser Ngô Đình Nhu were assassinated in 1963. The completed palace was inaugurated in 1966 by General Nguyen Van Thieu, the then head of a military junta. The Independence Hall served as Thiệu's home and office from October 1967 to April 1975.
Thieu fled the country as communist North Vietnamese forces swept southwards in the decisive Ho Chi Minh campaign on 30th April 1975 and a tank of the North Vietnamese army dramatically bulldozed through the main gate, effectively ending the Vietnam War.
After the reunification of Vietnam, the building continued to serve as a government and presidential office until 1976, when the capital of South Vietnam was officially moved to Hanoi.
The palace is now preserved as a convention hall for state events and also serves as a public museum, making it a popular tourist attraction in Ho Chi Minh City.
We looked at the route map displayed in the entrance and started our tour of the palace.
The most interesting section of the museum was its war room, where strategic planning and key decisions were made during the Vietnam War.
Maps, South Vietnamese furnishings, and communication equipment were seen throughout the room.
The president’s formal office and the map room connected to it gave us interesting insight into the decision-making process that must have taken place at that time.
The conference and reception rooms, where official events and diplomatic meetings regularly took place, showcased power and opulence, adorned with massive carpets, golden curtains, impressive chandeliers, and well-crafted furniture.
The helipad is an interesting find on the terrace area, as this was where the last helicopter carrying American delegates departed during the fall of Saigon. I could feel the palpable tension the delegates must have felt at that moment.
The Independence Palace's stunning gardens gave us a beautiful chance to stroll around in quiet reflection and peace. I found a group of youngsters trying to have a photoshoot session for their graduation. There was frustration on the faces of the boys, while the girls were patiently giving poses.
The Independence Palace is a brave and stark reminder of Vietnam’s tragic history and its journey towards independence and reunification.
Our next visit was to the War Remnants Museum, established on September 4, 1975.
The museum specialises in researching, collecting, preserving and displaying evidence of crimes and consequences of the wars and aggression against Vietnam, it calls out for awareness against unjust wars, protecting peace and promoting solidarity between nations.
We entered the campus and saw several buildings with period military equipment placed within a walled yard. The military equipment included a BA fighter helicopter, a fighter plane, a" Daisy Cutter" bomb, an M48 Patton tank, an attack bomber, and a Cessna A-17 Dragonfly attack bomber. The whole setup of the equipment was so scary, I could imagine how the Vietnamese felt and suffered during the wars.
Many of the aircraft decorated with non-standard "U.S. Air Force" decals were actually those of the South Vietnamese Air Force, obviously altered for display purposes. There was a huge bell prepared from a bomb.
There were pieces of unexploded ordnance stored in the corner of the yard, with their charges and/or fuses luckily removed.
The museum was three stories and held countless artefacts and graphic photographs, including photographer Nick Ut’s Pulitzer Prize-winning shot, “The Terror of War.”
Personally, for me, going around the museum was shocking and distressing too, as always, I wish that there wouldn’t be wars; the terrible consequences of any war are borne, unfortunately, by the younger generation.
The museum has 9 permanent exhibition themes, quite a few short-term mobile exhibitions and activities to interact with war witnesses, it has nearly 1 million visitors each year both domestic and foreign.
It covered the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliant sprays, the use of napalm and phosphorous bombs, and war atrocities.The photographic display included work by Vietnam War photojournalist Bunyo Ishikawa, which he had donated to the museum in 1998.
Curiosities included a Guillotine used by the French and South Vietnamese to execute prisoners, the last time being in 1960, and three jars of preserved human foetuses deformed by exposure to dioxins contained in the defoliant Agent Orange and pack-bikes which played a key role in the war, carrying tons of supplies during the nights silently and endlessly.
One building reproduced the "tiger cages" in which the South Vietnamese government kept political prisoners. All the exhibits included graphic photography, accompanied by a short text in English, Vietnamese and Japanese,
Our next visit was to the twin-spired Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, a peaceful oasis in the busy downtown area. Built entirely from materials imported from France, the construction of the cathedral lasted nearly two decades, from 1863 to 1880.
Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon is an iconic symbol of Ho Chi Minh City, showcasing stunning French colonial architecture. It is located about 1.2km from Ben Thanh Market. The cathedral stands as a testament to the city's rich history.
Built in the late 19th century, the cathedral features twin bell towers which are 58 meters tall, red brick walls imported from France, and beautiful stained-glass windows.
Located in the heart of the city, it’s the perfect place to admire European-style architecture. Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit it as it has been under renovation since 2017.
We then saw the alabaster statue of the Virgin Mary perched in the centre of the square, which is said to have wept tears on a single occasion in 2005, witnessed by huge crowds there at the time.
Opposite the cathedral is Saigon’s charming general post office. The building was constructed when Vietnam was part of French Indochina and has Gothic, Renaissance and French influences. It was constructed between 1886 and 1891 and is now a tourist attraction. Alfred Foulhoux has designed it.
It had a stunning facade of French architecture, yellow walls, arched doors and windows, and decorative reliefs.
Right at the top, there was a massive clock that had been running for more than 130 years. The names of numerous well-known scientists and inventors of the telegraph industry, such as Benjamin Franklin, Alessandro Volta, and Michael Faraday, were engraved on rectangular cells stretching from the centre to the sides of the building.
We entered and found a massive foyer flanked by rows of Victorian-era wooden phone booths, and a huge portrait of Ho Chi Minh in the centre.
There were two painted maps created after the post office was built. The first one, located on the left side of the building, is a map of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia titled "Telegraphic lines of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia 1892".
The second map of Greater Saigon is titled "Saigon and its surroundings 1892".
The entire length of the post office was covered by a dome-shaped roof created in a highly sophisticated arched structure and supported by a row of pillars on both sides.
There were many gift shops, and people were buying postcards and posting them.
The last item on our tour was the Ben Thanh Market, located in the centre of the city and truly a timeless marketplace. To start with, it was just a small market by the Ben Nghe River, built in 1870. In 1912, the French authorities decided to relocate and rebuild the market at its current location.
The market was inaugurated in 1914, more than a century ago, and has not only been a bustling trading place but also a mute historical witness of the ups and downs of Saigon.
Ben Thanh Market stands out among other markets in Vietnam thanks to its distinctive French colonial architecture, making it a historic landmark of Ho Chi Minh City. Covering an area of approximately 13,000 square meters, with more than 1500 stalls, the market features a large, yellow-ochre facade with a signature clock tower.
The Ben Thanh Market has 4 main entrances located on major streets, and like most Saigon markets, it operates with two main time frames: the day and the night market. The market opens from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, when the stalls inside are bustling, selling a variety of goods, including fresh food, clothing, handicrafts, and local specialities.
After 6:00 PM, the market lights up, transforming into a bustling night market with street food stalls and souvenirs, and lasts till 10:00 PM.
As we entered, we could see a matrix of aisles selling everything from fresh produce to conical hats, weasel coffee to lacquerware.
The high, dome-like ceiling and spacious walkways ensured that natural ventilation and light happened, creating a comfortable shopping experience, although the temperature was very humid.
We found that the market was divided into different sections, making it easy for us to explore. Dry goods, souvenirs, and handicrafts were in one area, while fresh produce, seafood, and street food stalls were located in another. I found differently shaped brooms that have come to the Numaish exhibition this year.
The clothing and accessories section was also conveniently arranged, and was the most sought after by most of us.
We were pre-warned by our guide to carry cash, dress comfortably and stay hydrated to overcome the humidity. We found we had to bargain hard but most of the shopkeepers were very friendly.
I loved Ben Thanh Market as it offered a rich shopping experience, we managed to explore local culture while finding unique souvenirs and savour delicious Vietnamese specialities.
Thus came the end of our Vietnam trip. I found the places interesting and the Vietnamese people very warm and welcoming.
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